Hat and towel holder



(No Model.)

W. MATHEWS.

HAT AND TOWEL HOLDER.

Patented Nov. 24

:- 13 Afforneys, 7 I

lUNrrlE STATES tries.

arnnr HAT AND TOWEL HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 330,991, dated November 24:, 1885.

Application filed July 11, 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MATHEws, a citizen of the United States, residing at Llano, in the county of Llano and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hat and Towel Holders, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a combined hathook and towel-holder; and it has for its object to provide a device of this character which shall be cheap and simple in its construction, effective in its operation, one that will be strong and durable, and readily and easily applied.

With these ends in view the invention consists in the improved construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a combined hat-hook and towel-holder constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, A represents my improved hat-hook and towel-holder, which consists of a back or supporting piece, B, provided near each end with a hole or opening for the passage of screws or other suitable fastening for its attachment. Formed integral with the back or supporting piece, B, and extending outwardly therefrom, is an arm, 0, which has an upwardly-extending extension at its outer end, forming a hook, at. The said hook a, as will be seen, forms a support for a hat or coat or other article. Extending downwardly from the outer end of the arm 0 is an arm, E, which is formed integral therewith, and formed integral with said arm E, at the lower end thereof, and extending inwardly therefrom, is a barrel, F, formed with a longitudinal passage or opening, 6, having different diameters, thus forming an annular shoulder, c. WVithin the barrel F is located a sliding bar or rod, G, upon which, within the barrel F, is mounted a spiral spring, H, which bears against a shoulder, d, on said rod at one end, and against the annular shoulder 0 within the pipe or barrel at its other end. The outer Serial No. 171,331. (No model.)

end of the sliding bar or rod is formed with a butt-on, serving as a finger-piece, while its inner end is formed with a head, 0, which is adapted to bear against the back or supporting strip, B, which may, if desired, be formed with a projecting knob,f, against which the end of said rod may hear.

The operation is as follows: \Vhen it is desired to hang a towel upon the holder, the sliding bar or rod is drawn outwardly, thus compressing the spiral spring, and the towel is placed upon the back or supporting strip. Upon the sliding bar or rod being released it is immediately, through the agency of the spiral spring, forced against the supporting back piece, and clamps the towel in place. The hook a forms a support for a hat, coat, or like article, and, if desired, the sliding bar or rod might be employed as a coat-support. In this case the bar would be withdrawn from engagement with the back piece, and the loop of the coat placed upon the inner end of said sliding bar, which when released would close the space between itself and the back or sup porting piece, and thus hold the coat securely in position.

The above-described improved hat-hook and towel-holder is simple in its construction, may be manufactured and supplied at a slight cost, is effective in its operation, and strong and durable.

I am aware that heretofore it has been proposed to construct a dress-support with a frame having arms and a threaded pin working through one of the arms and carrying a disk adapted to bear against the other arm of the frame. My invention differs from this in the fact that I employ a spring-actuated plunger arranged in a horizontal cylinder or barrel cast integral with its supporting-arm and base-plate, said plunger being adapted to bear against the base-plate and hold the clothes in position when arranged between the plate and plunger. The plunger being automatically returned to its normal position when pressure thereon is released bythe recoil action of the spring, the operation of suspending the clothing can be accomplished expeditiously and without danger of becoming easily displaced.

I am also aware that it is not new to provide a trace-carrier with a sliding hook held under tension by a spring-actuated plunger.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 7 As an improved article of manufacture, a coat or towel holder comprising a base-piece, substantially as described, having arms 0 E and a cylinder, F, cast in one piece therewith, the arms 0 and cylinder F being arranged in a horizontal position near each end of the baseplate, and connected together at their outer ends by the vertical arm E, and a plunger, G,

provided with the fin ger-piece having a coiled spring, H, arranged in said cylinder F, and r 5 adapted to bear against the base-plate to provide a support for the coat or towel, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in 20 presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM MATHEWS.

Witnesses:

W. P. OKELLY, JOHN C. OATMAN. 

